Vietnamese Tycoon & Philanthropist Donates Planeload of PPEs to DFA to Aid in Fight Against COVID-19

(From Left to right) Assistant Secretary Meynardo L.B. Montealegre, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr., Viet Nam Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Nguyen Hong Hanh, IPPG-President Henry Serrano Nguyen, and Viet Nam Embassy First Secretary Vu Anh Son (Photo by Nilo Palaya)

PASAY CITY 29 April 2020 – Vietnamese business tycoon and well-known philanthropist, Mr. Johnathan Hanh Nguyen, donated more than 750,000 masks and 16,500 personal protective suits to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to help protect the agency’s front liners against COVID-19.

Mr. Nguyen, the Chairman and Founder of IMEX Pan Pacific Group (IPPG), was instrumental in establishing the first direct flight between Ho Chi Minh and Manila in 1985.  

The donation was handed over to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. by Mr. Nguyen’s son and IPPG-Philippines President, Mr. Henry Serrano Nguyen, during a turnover ceremony held on 29 April 2020 at the Department of Foreign Affairs.

During the turnover ceremony, Secretary Locsin expressed his gratitude for Mr. Nguyen’s generous and valuable donation of PPEs which are essential to the ongoing efforts of the DFA not just in bringing home thousands of OFWs and overseas Filipinos from all over the world but also in assisting in the repatriation of stranded foreign nationals in the Philippines.

Also in attendance during the ceremony were Undersecretary Brigido J. Dulay, Assistant Secretary Meynardo L.B. Montealegre, Ms. Nguyen Hong Hanh, Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. and Mr. Vu Anh Son, First Secretary of the Embassy of Viet Nam.

The donation was brought to the Philippines via a chartered flight arranged by Mr. Nguyen and was made possible through the timely assistance of the Department of Finance, Bureau of Customs and other government agencies. END

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. (left) receives donation from Mr. Johnathan Hanh Nguyen, represented by his son and IPPG-Philippines President, Mr. Henry Serrano Nguyen (right). (Photo by Nilo Palaya)

(From Left to right) Assistant Secretary Meynardo L.B. Montealegre, Undersecretary Brigido J. Dulay, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr., IPPG-President Henry Serrano Nguyen, Viet Nam Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Nguyen Hong Hanh, and Viet Nam Embassy First Secretary Vu Anh Son (Photo by Nilo Palaya)

Chartered flight arranged by Mr. Nguyen carrying the donated PPEs and masks (Photo by DNATA)

Boxes of donated PPEs and masks (Photo by DNATA)